Image detector with lens assembly and related methods

• US 9,313,386 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2014
• Issued: 04/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics International N.V. (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics Shenzhen R&D Co Ltd (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Luan, Jing-En
• Primary Examiner(s): AGGARWAL, YOGESH K
• Application Number:
  US14/336,060
• Publication Number:
  US 20150029384A1
• Time in Patent Office: 631 Days
• Field of Search: 348/335, 348/340, 348/345, 348/348, 348/350, 348/352, 438/65, 359/819
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/025 using glue
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14618 Containers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14625 Optical elements or arrangements associated with the device
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14685 Process for coatings or optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14687 Wafer level processing
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1052 with cutting, punching, tearing or severing

Abstract

An electronic device may include a substrate, an image sensor IC over the substrate, and a lens assembly above the substrate. The lens assembly may include a spacer above the substrate, a first adhesive layer over the spacer, a lens aligned with the image sensor IC and over the first adhesive layer, a second adhesive layer surrounding a peripheral surface of the lens and the first adhesive layer, and a baffle over the lens and the second adhesive layer.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a substrate comprising a dielectric layer, and a plurality of electrically conductive traces over said dielectric layer;

an image sensor integrated circuit (IC) over said substrate; and

a lens assembly above said substrate and comprising

a spacer above said substrate,

a first adhesive layer over said spacer,

at least one lens aligned with said image sensor IC and over said first adhesive layer,

a second adhesive layer surrounding a peripheral surface of said at least one lens and said first adhesive layer, and

a baffle over said at least one lens and said second adhesive layer.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein said spacer, said second adhesive layer, and said baffle have aligned peripheral surfaces.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein said second adhesive layer comprises opaque material.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 further comprising an other IC adjacent to said substrate;

and wherein said at least one lens comprises a first lens aligned with said image sensor IC, and a second lens aligned with said other IC.

5. The electronic device of claim 4 wherein said other IC comprises at least one of a light source IC, and an additional image sensor IC.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein said at least one lens comprises a base layer having first and second opposing sides, a convex lens layer on the first opposing side, and a concave lens layer on the second opposing side.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 further comprising a third adhesive layer between said substrate and said lens assembly.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein said substrate comprises a plurality of electrically conductive contacts over said dielectric layer and coupled to said plurality of electrically conductive traces.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein said at least one lens comprises a filter lens.

10. A lens assembly for an electronic device having a substrate comprising a dielectric layer, and a plurality of electrically conductive traces over the dielectric layer, and an image sensor integrated circuit (IC) over the substrate, the lens assembly comprising:

a spacer above the substrate;

a first adhesive layer over said spacer;

at least one lens aligned with the image sensor IC and over said first adhesive layer;

a second adhesive layer surrounding a peripheral surface of said at least one lens and said first adhesive layer; and

a baffle over said at least one lens and said second adhesive layer.

11. The lens assembly of claim 10 wherein said spacer, said second adhesive layer, and said baffle have aligned peripheral surfaces.

12. The lens assembly of claim 10 wherein said second adhesive layer comprises opaque material.

13. The lens assembly of claim 10 wherein said at least one lens comprises a base layer having first and second opposing sides, a convex lens layer on the first opposing side, and a concave lens layer on the second opposing side.

14. A method making a plurality of lens assemblies comprising:

adhesively joining a lens wafer to a spacer wafer with a first adhesive layer, the lens wafer comprising a plurality of lenses;

forming a plurality of recesses extending through the lens wafer and first adhesive layer, and into the spacer wafer, each recess being between adjacent lenses;

filling the recesses with a second adhesive layer;

adhesively joining a baffle wafer onto the second adhesive layer; and

dicing the joined-together spacer wafer, lens wafer, and baffle wafer to define the plurality of lens assemblies.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the spacer wafer comprises a plurality of openings;

and wherein the adhesive joining of the lens wafer to the spacer wafer includes aligning the plurality of openings with the plurality of lenses.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising curing the joined-together lens wafer and spacer wafer.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the baffle wafer comprises a plurality of openings;

and wherein the adhesive joining of the baffle wafer to the lens wafer and the spacer wafer includes aligning the plurality of openings with the plurality of lenses.

18. The method of claim 14 further comprising forming the spacer wafer on a carrier layer, and releasing the carrier layer after the dicing.

19. A method making an electronic device comprising:

forming a substrate comprising a dielectric layer, and a plurality of electrically conductive traces over the dielectric layer;

forming an image sensor integrated circuit (IC) over the substrate; and

forming a lens assembly above the substrate, the lens assembly comprising

a spacer above the substrate,

a first adhesive layer over the spacer,

at least one lens aligned with the image sensor IC and over the first adhesive layer,

a second adhesive layer surrounding a peripheral surface of the at least one lens and the first adhesive layer, and

a baffle over the at least one lens and the second adhesive layer.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising aligning peripheral surfaces of the spacer, the second adhesive layer, and the baffle.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the second adhesive layer comprises opaque material.

22. The method of claim 19 further comprising positioning an other IC to be adjacent to the substrate;

and wherein the at least one lens comprises a first lens aligned with the image sensor IC, and a second lens aligned with the other IC.

23. The method of claim 19 wherein the at least one lens comprises a base layer having first and second opposing sides, a convex lens layer on the first opposing side, and a concave lens layer on the second opposing side.

24. The method of claim 19 further comprising forming a third adhesive layer between the substrate and the lens assembly.

25. The method of claim 19 wherein the substrate comprises a plurality of electrically conductive contacts over the dielectric layer and coupled to the plurality of electrically conductive traces.